Method and apparatus for producing cartons



June 14, 1949. s. BERGSTEIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUGING CARTONS Filed sept. 12, 194e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Lunfnau INVEgvToR. f/CasrE/M ATTORNEYS.

June 14, 1949. s. BERG-STEIN 2,472,883

METHOD AND APPRATUS FOR PRODUCING CARTONS Filed sept. 12, .194e v 2 sheets-sheet' 2 BY MSL@ Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED s TAT/.s PATENT o Pfl-ics arrasar. METiioili APPARATUS' Fort PRODCING CARTON S Sarmiel- Bergs'ftc'in; Cincinnati',A Ohio,v assignor to Robert Morris Bergstein andFrank DavidIB'erg- Steins trusteesl Appiicati'nn Septemer 12, 194%, serial-No; 69,6;48'9

l olf. 93-'52 l Il Claims:

There has hitherto been ariextensive-manne facture of indentedf lpaperboard for" packingf pui"e poses. rIfhe product is formed by passingM p'ap'e'r'eboard through roll's havingi various arrangements of relatively small protuberancesgthe protuberf ances of the respective rolls being arr-'angecllin-an'` interdigitating fashion; Asa consequence board passed throughv the' rollsis in interspaced small areas distortedI from itsorieinal.l plane` toward both sides, the eiiiective thickness ofV` theboardincreased; andthe indented boardis able=to provide a cushioning effect for fragile. articles in/ shipment and storage. Frequently' the board'v priorv :to embossing, h'a'sbeen` 'wetted or steamed; but it has been known that satisfactory effects may be otbained without anypretreatment. ofi the board.

Hitherto such indented ori embossedy board has been usedv as a Wrapping fory fragile articles; or'

has been used. in' the making. of' independent wrapping or covering structures; I'f individual articles were required toi b'e` packaged'A inA cartons"rv or containers', the indented orfembossedboardfwas employed as' an*l independent lining# for suchcar-r tons or as an independent-,wrapping fori the are' ticles.

It' is an object of. my inventionv to* provide paperboard cartons' or tubular common knock#- dow-n form intended. for the shipment o1: handling of fragile articles where the.` carton-itself and substantially without any additionall cost,

furnishesthe desired. cushioning', effect'- for" the contents.

It is an object of my invention to'providercartons having the function described;L above, which cartons are of knock-down-'form'and maybe handled, shipped and used in the f usual Way for kno ck-down paperboard cartons".

It' isv an object ofy my invention to"v provide a knock-down tubular cart-on structure which in addition to`l the advantages referred to, possessesf thev naturall advantages of appearance*off paper-- boardzcartons as known inthe art.

These and'other objects of` my invention whichv will'be set forth. hereinafter or-v will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon're'ading thesespeci-l fication's, I accomplish by. that-structure-andarrang-ement of parts and" in. those: procedures of which Iv shall now describe exemplary embodi-y ments.

Reference is madeto the accompanying: drawings f wherein Figure 1 isV a1 plan view of theblanlr-vfcronef Figure 2 is' a diagrammatic perspectiverview Ofap'paratus in accordance with' my invention',y iii/ith"- which lil-may 'impart the desired cushionirig e'fi fe'ctlto the carton structure.

FigureS a partial sectionaiviewo'f ari-erected and closed paperboard carton ma'de' frorn the* blank of- Fieu're 1, andv showing inf dotted' lines; exemplary contents therein.r

Figure 4 is adiagrammatic sectional View of a modified apparatus' for treating' cartons.v

Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank for another forni`- o'f carton' falling! withinf the`A scope' of'ry in# vennen. v

Figur-'el 6 is a partial perspectivel View'y ofl amy paratus which may be employed ini tubing thefcartons of my invention,

Figure' l7 is' a diagrammatic' sectional view related? to the section line T T in Figure 6.

This invention thusf relates? to the':problem3 dfiinparting to knock-down tubular` paperboard? car-tons'l the desired cushioning: eiect which has3 been r'efe'rredi to above. Other characteristics ofI the tfu-ublarv paperboard carton,v including its-sizeT andi shape; do not form' a limitation on theine" vention excepting asset forth inl the appendedYf claims- I have found that' by embossingfpracticestbut4` without any presoftening of' the? board;vv it is posi-f sible to impart :the embossed andcushioning conv ditionto 'cartons' or carton structuresintheways'f Hereinafter set forth. Embossed or indented1 boards have hitherto' been madeusuallyr ofthe? cheapest kind ofi chipiboard'or .the like; but the? imparting' of indent-,ations to* thebetter classesoiv` b'oxboardsuch'as arev normally employed for the productioni of printed cartons, isfreadily possibleV without any presoftening. Furthermore; iffthe cartons are preprintedthe embossingl does ri'ot destroy the effect of the printing in'go'od paper-- bo'ardfmate'rial-sfbutorithe contrary, insonie in'-1 stancesenhaii ces it.l

It is fnot, however, pos'sible'tc'emboss' -thefboard' ini bulk since. if this'y is done vitl'notv onlybecorn'esi impossible to printzitobut grave,` if not insuperf-f'" able" diiiiculties arey encountered in' attempts'fto cutI andi` score the cartonblanks-rand-'irif attempts? tof fold andi'glue'therii.v Nbr 'isrit possible toE printpl cut and scorethefcartoii' blanksrst andtiien"7 emb'oss'them throughoutsinc'e many ofi-th'esarne`I difficulties arise. Ini af satisfactory,` knock-'downI tubular structure it is necessary that tlie'flo'ng'ie'v tudinal `score 1lihes=remain freeV or unembossd sectionsof the boardV or diculties'iwill( be en counteredin erecting thefcartors either byr hand-'il orfoby machinery-s v I have found that entirely satisfactory results may be obtained for example, by forminng a carton blank and then embossing the blank in such fashion that the indentations are confined to longitudinal central portions of the body walls of the carton, leaving the board adjacent the longitudinal score lines free of indentations and likewise leaving the glue flap and the corresponding outer edge of the opposite wall free of indentations so that an adequate adhesive seam may be obtained. Tubular cartons will normally have closure flaps at the ends of the body walls.- or some of them. The indentations may, if desired, be omitted from the closure flaps entirely, but it is also possible to continue them into the closure aps. The reason for this is that while the longitudinal score lines of the blank must lie in non-embossed sections of the board, those score lines by which the closure members are articulated to the body walls may be covered and partially obliterated by indentations without difflculty, due to the superior folding action attained with flaps in a squared up or erected carton lbody.

Hence in the practice of my invention, I prefer rst to form the carton blanks and then to emboss these blanks after the manners hereinafter described, prior to the tubing operation performed on the carton blanks. It is possible to gain an effect by rst tubing a carton blank and then embossing it but, due to the fact that the longitudinal score lines must be left in free or unembossed board sections, it will be seen that such operation is restricted to tubular carton bodies in which the width of all body walls is equal, so that in the tubed structure the score lines come together.

The embossing may be carried on in the cartons of my invention to limit lines lying quite close to the longitudinal score lines; and cartons formed in this fashion have been found to be quite adequate for the reason that the cushioning effect is normally obtained throughout all portions of the carton walls which contact the article packed within. The corner portions of a carton have a natural cushioning effect by reason of their construction, and furthermore the packed article does not normally contact the body walls of a carton out to the very edges of these body walls. Exemplary uses for my cartons are in the packaging of such articles as bottles, radio tubes, incandescent bulbs and the like. Where round or cylindrical articles are enclosed in cartons, it will be appreciated that the area of contact of such articles with the carton walls is quite small. Hence, it is frequently possible to confine the embossings in the carton walls to quite narrow bands, as has been illustrated in Figure 5.

In Figure 1 I have shown a paperboard carton blank having body walls I, 2, 3 and 4, and a glue flap 5, articulated together by the usual longitudinal score lines 6, 8, 9 and I0. 'I'he particular form of carton shown is a so-called tuck end tubular carton in which aps II, I2, I3 and I4 are articulated to the ends of body walls 2 and 4, and in which top and bottom walls I and I6 are articulated to the ends of an intermediate body wall 3. These top and bottom walls carry tuck flaps I'I and I8. This blank will have been cut and scored as is usual in the manufacture of paperboard containers, and will have been printed if and as desired.

The next step in the practice of my invention is the provision of embossed or indented areas indicated at I9, 20, 2I and 22. These areas extend longitudinally of the respective body Walls but terminate short of the free edge of wall I, and the intermediate score lines 6, 8, 9 and IU. The glue flap 5 has not been embossed. It will be noted that in this particular embodiment the embossing has been extended across the lateral score lines 23 and 24, by which the closure flaps are articulated to the body walls, and that it has been continued across the closure iiap structures themselves. This enables me to carry on the embossing in an untimed, continuously acting apparatus.

Elements of this apparatus are illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 2, and comprise a pair of shafts 25 and 26 geared or otherwise connected together as by pinions 21 and 28, one of the shafts being arranged to be driven by means not shown. The shafts are indicated as carrying respectively an upper set of embossing members 29, 30, 3| and 32 and a lower mating set of embossing members 33, 34, 35 and 36. These embossing members are individual elements replaceable as desired when different widths of embossing are desired. They are splined on the shafts 25 and 26, and are rendered adjustable therealong as by means 31, so that their position may be changed for cartons of different sizes. It may be pointed out that for most uses the cushioning effect does not need to extend as respects any body wall substantially to the score lines which demark it. A central strip of indentations is ordinarily sucient. Hence apparatus elements as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 2 will be found adjustable to cover and treat quite a wide range of carton sizes.

The operation illustrated in Figure 2 is an untimed operation and the carton blanks may be fed forward and introduced into the apparatus by hand or by the normal untimed frictionally moving means provided on standard carton folding and gluing machines. In fact, the apparatus of Figure 2 may be added to or installed on the standard carton folding or gluing machine ahead of the feed hopper, but prior to the adhesive applicator and folding instrumentalities, i. e., it

f will be folded on a pair of intermediate score lines such as the scores 6 and 9, with an adhesive union of the glue flap 5 to the free edge of the body wall I. The carton will then be in tubular knock-down condition suitable for shipment to the carton user.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the erected and closed carton, like parts being given like index numerals, the figures showing the cushioning effect upon exemplary contents such as a bottle 38.

Referring to Figure 5, I have shown a carton of the so-called seal-end type having body walls 39, d6, 6I, 42, and a glue flap 43. The body walls have in articulation at their ends, closure flaps ZG-5I as indicated. Such a carton may be treated in exactly the fashion which has been described for the carton blank of Figure 1. The flaps i4-5I will in this event become embossed, but it is usually possible by the use of suitable adhesives, preferably thermoplastic, to bring about sufficient adhesion between embossed flaps to produce a strong enough closure.

However, where it is desired to leave the closure flaps in an unembossed condition, this may be accomplished in a timed embossing operation by mechanism such as is shown in Figure 4. Here the upper and lower embossing means 52 and 53 onshafts 54 and 55, are cut away or coniigured'as at 55 and 51, so as to emboss areas of speciiic length. It is necessary here thatlthe n-,feaarsss carton blank generally lindi'cateclfait l'58, Abe sent through the apparatus A:in timed 'relationship'to theoperation lofthev embossing'means. This will be vaccomplished by a timed conveyoror moving means' of which a suitable V'formcomprises a moving chain 59having pins -60 vfor-engaging thev carton blank. Such an embossing means and its timed feed mayagain be inserted in a standard carton folding and gluing gmachine ahead of Ythe feed hopper -and fprior to the folding and gluing instrumentalities.

The use of a timed l-ieed and non-'continuous embossing means is not limi-tedfto-'anyparticular type -of `@car-ton. JBywayof example, in the-tuck'- end 'style-'of Figure 1, the bands o'f-emb'os'sing2'2 and '520 may run f continuously through lthe bod-y Wallsf4 and2 and 'their respective lflaps as shown, but the area 2 l -mayibeconflned `tofthe body -wall Sfl'eavingtheiend and tuck flaps l5, 1| 6, '-I-ll and il 8 free lof 'embossings .cushioning at the ends of the-carton -will be'provided by'iiaps H, I2, l3 and Mjbut the carton will have plain orunembossed outer end walls land thus may stand up better upon its ends.

In most instances the adhesive applying and folding-devices of standard 'carton fold-ing `.an-'d gluing machines may be relied upon for the tubing operation. However, it will be remembered that the-embossing -effectively thickens portions of the body walls yof 'the cartons, land 'where such thickening tends to prevent theattainment offadeduate and adequately'continued pressure on the glue flap and opposite wall, in the machinel-orlin the stacker, -I-lmake the following described provision in the machine to overcome this diiculty.

In v:place of the :normal yswords 'on `which Sthe blank is folded (as by folding :sweeps 63 and 64) as to its longitudinal .score lines, I provide a former 6| as illustrated in 'Figur-e 6 and shown there in 'relation to the unfolded blank 58. 'The former is provided .with y a-raised 'rib 62, .lso vpositioned VLas 'to .lie .beneath Ithe glue flap 43 #as is clearly shownsin Figure 7. This gives a -support capableof sustainingpressurepand I providefan upper :roller 63, or series of rollers which engage the freeedge of the Wall 39, and-.press itagainst the .glue flap. With the .use ofquick-set thermoplastic adhesives, .complete adhesion maybe iattain'ed'in this fashion prior 'to the-tirne the'folded cartons 'come oli the .end "of v.the former. vThe roller or rollers 63 .maybe.cool'edifdesired 'They notonlyfeifect the pressure aforesaid, but assist in 'moving-the carton over V.theformen "Theatermer may be made in a plurality of adjustable parts and the position of the rib or pressure sustaining device 62 may likewise be made adjustable. It is not without the spirit of my invention to use a longitudinally extending pressure sustaining member along with the swords which are standard in carton folding and gluing machines, and without the provision of va complete former as illustrated.

My invention is applicable to cartons made of any suitable boxboard printed or unprinted, and to box boards to which surfacing materials such as the non-fibrous lms of commerce have been plied. The particular kinds of closure flaps provided constitute no limitation on the invention. In the case of structures which are to be wrapped or which have been plied to cellophane or the like, where the cellophane extends beyond the ends of the body walls so as to provide means for forming end closures, closure aps may be omitted entirely.

ITO

'Modifications may fb'e in'iauie' vlin `:my :invention without-"departing from their' spirit fo'f ifit.

Having thus fdescribed im'y invention .2in certain exemplary embodiments, ywhatJI'cIaim'as new and desire to @secure'f-by Letters iPatent is:

'51. A process lfor :producing :protective lcartons which comprises producing otherwise finished cut andscored paperboard vcarton blanks ycomprising enclosingbody walls and 'a glue "flap `and-end closure means articulated tofeertain atleast `'of said body walls, then passing said vblanks :continuously through a carton folding and `gluing machine in the direction ofthe extent oiisaid-body walls, and :'pror to folding "and gluing passing `said blanks through `rotating vembossing elements in said machine, said elements being` sospa'ced from e'a'chi-o't-her "laterally of the Yblank Aias Vto emboss central 4'portions ci -sai'd /b'o'dy walls and closure means'whileileaving the paperboardunembossed in areas radjacent and including l'the "lines of articulation "between body walls, and then folding said *blanks and gluing said glue A"flaps to a margina'lportionofthe-'oppositewalltherein- '2. `A 'process of producing `Aprotective cartons which v'comprises producing A`an otherwisenished cut'and'iscored'carton'blank-includingibody-Walls articulated together falong longitudinal score lines, andft-hereaiterasan incident to'foldingan'd gluing, embossing vthe paperboard lvof said blank to'pro'videf-a cushioning-eiect forfcon-tenta'while leaving the 'paperboard adjacent Aand including said longitudinal score lines free Iof said embossing, *said embossing -lbeing laccomplished *during the 'passage of said Yblank through-fa yfolding 'and gluing machine.

"3. A process *of making protective Jcartons which i comprises providing `'an' otherwise fnished carton blank, comprising body'wans in articulation valong ylongitudinal score lines, and Iclosure elements articulated uto 'ends 'of body walls along lateral score1lines, and `passing 'said blankcontinuousl-y through-spaced pairs ofrotaryfenibossing means -whereby to produce in =said "blanks bands of embossings to=provi`de a'cus'hi'onin'g-efrect, while y"spacing land Irelating said embossing means to Ysaid blank in such 4"fashion `Aas-ito leave the paperboard thereof adjacent and including said '-llongitudinal score lines 'free o'ffembo'sslngs, said bands of embossings covering said flater-al score'ilines.

`AIl. 'A process df :producing vvprotective cartons which comprises providing .otherwise ,inished carton fblanks lha'ving fenclosing body ywalls ,in articulation -a'long 'flongitudinal score 'lines and closure elements articulated to ends of body walls along lateral score lines, and passing said blanks continuously through sets of cooperating embossing means of rotary character in timed relation, and configuring said embossing means and spacing the cooperating sets thereof whereby to conne the embossings to said body walls and terminate the embossings short of the said longitudinal and lateral score lines.

5. A process of producing protective cartons which comprises providing otherwise, completed carton blanks including enclosing body walls in articulation along longitudinal score lines and a glue ilap, embossing central portions of body walls of said blank While leaving said blank unembossed in areas adjacent and including said longitudinal score lines a free edge of a wall at one side of the blank and said glue flap, and thereafter tubing said blank by folding with the application of adhesive, and producing pressure on said glue ap and the free edge of said wall in superposition by pressure means acting from the outside of the blank against a rib-like support located interiorly of the tubed blank.

6. The process claimed in claim including the application of a heat softened thermo-plastic adhesive for joining said glue flap and the free edge of said wall.

7. In apparatus for the purpose described, parallel shafts, means for driving said shafts in timed relationship, pairs of rotary embossing means splined to said shafts to rotate therewith, means for spacing said pairs along said shaft and means for passing carton blanks between the embossing elements of said pairs, the embossing elements of said pairs being configured to form less than continuous bands of embossings, and said means for passing carton blanks therebetween comprising timed conveyor apparatus.

8. In apparatus for the purpose described, parallel shafts, means for driving said shafts in timed relationship, pairs of rotary embossing means splined to said shafts to rotate therewith, means for spacing said pairs along said shaft, and means for passing carton blanks between the embossing elements of said pairs, in combination with folding means for tubing said blanks, said folding means comprising a pressure element located within the tube initially formed by folding said blanks, and a pressure element externally located to press lapped portions of said blanks against said rst mentioned pressure means.

9. In apparatus for the purpose described, parallel shafts, means for driving said shafts in timed relationship, pairs of rotary embossing means splined to said shafts to rotate therewith, means for spacing said pairs along said shaft and means for passing carton blanks between the embossing elements of said pairs, the embossing elements of said pairs being configured to form less than continuous bands of embossings, and said means for-passing carton blanks therebetween comprising timed conveyor apparatus in combination with folding means for tubing said blanks, said folding means comprising a pressure element located within the tube initially formed by folding said blanks and a pressure element externally located to press lapped portions of said blanks against said rst mentioned pressure means.

10. In apparatus for the purpose described, parallel shafts, means for driving said shafts in timed relationship, pairs of rotary embossing means splined to said shafts to rotate therewith, means for spacing said pairs along said shaft,

8 and means for passing carton blanks between the embossing elements of said pairs, in combination with folding means for tubing said blanks, said folding means comprising a pressure element located within the tube initially formed by folding said blanks, said pressure element comprising a former having a raised rib extending longitudinally of said former and positioned so as to lie beneath lapped portions of said blanks, and a pressure element externally located to press lapped portions of said blanks against said rst mentioned pressure means.

11. In apparatus for the purpose described, parallel shafts, means for driving said shafts in timed relationship, pairs of rotary embossing means splined to said shaft to rotate therewith, means for spacing said pairs along said shaft and means for passing carton blanks between the embossing elements of said pairs being configured to form less than continuous bands of embossing, and said means for passing carton blanks therebetween comprising timed conveyor apparatus, in combination with folding means for tubing said blanks, said folding means comprising a pressure element located Within the tube initially formed by folding said blanks, said pressure element comprising a former having a raised rib extending longitudinally of said former and so positioned as to lie beneath lapped portions of said blanks, and a pressure element externally located to press lapped portions of said blanks against the first mentioned pressure means.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen'ces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 247,213 Peck Sept. 20, 1881 262,938 Dyer et a1. Aug. 22, 1882 397,162 Young Feb. 5, 1889 756,500 Inman Apr. 5, 1904 795,927 Palmer Aug. 1, 1905 886,818 Kochs May 5, 1908 893,616 Ferres July 21, 1908 1,136,479 Motz Apr. 20, 1915 1,298,328 Godfrey Mar. 25, 1919 1,619,608 Fairchild Mar, 1, 1927 1,620,174 Wagner Mar. 8, 1927 1,816,321 Foss July 28, 1931 2,192,950 Widell Mar. 12, 1940 

